Louisa was about to rise and take the book with her, when she heard voices. She recognized that it was her father, and he had James Hamilton with him. She sat still as a mouse and listened to what was said.
“We have some things in common, James. I, too, lost my father before I was three and my grandfather a few short years later. I empathize with you.”
“Yes, it is a sad coincidence. I don’t remember my father, but I loved my grandfather deeply. He took me to live with him at Stanmore Priory when my mother remarried because he didn’t approve of her marriage to Aberdeen.”
“Your grandfather’s daughter Catherine was Aberdeen’s first wife.”
“Yes, it’s complicated. My father and Aberdeen’s first wife were brother and sister. So in effect, my mother married her brother- in-law. It was a marriage of convenience. Both my mother and Aberdeen were left with three small children. Unfortunately my grandfather was right. The marriage has brought my mother little happiness.”
“When your grandfather died and you were forced to live with your stepfather, it must have been difficult.”
“I was devastated,” Abercorn said quietly. “When I turn twenty-one in January, Aberdeen will no longer be my guardian. I count my blessings that I inherited my grandfather’s estate in Ireland and his title. It will allow me to be my own man and not depend upon Aberdeen for anything.”
“Our deep love of Ireland is another thing we have in common, James.”
“Your Grace, I have taken you as my role model. You served as the lord lieutenant of Ireland and it has inspired me to follow in your footsteps. I too have ambitions to become the viceroy one day.”
“Bravo! That is a worthy endeavor.”
“I am looking forward to taking my seat in the House of Lords when I reach my majority in January.”
“Wonderful. I shall make a point of joining you there upon occasion.”
Louisa was amazed at the friendship that had developed so quickly between the pair. Their admiration for each other was palpable. Abercorn wishes that John Russell could be his father and it’s obvious that their high regard for each other is mutual. No doubt Father would like James Hamilton for a son.
She heard Mr. Burke’s voice.
“Excuse me for interrupting you, but Her Grace has sent me to summon you to the blue drawing room where she is entertaining the Hollands and the Greys.”
“Ah, my duties as host are remiss. Lead on, Mr. Burke.”
“Would you mind if I took a closer look at your books, Your Grace?”
“Be my guest, James. It gives me pleasure to share them with another book lover.”
Damnation. I’ll have to sit here all afternoon. Louisa felt her leg cramp and moved her position, as quietly as she could, to ease it. A minute later, her heart sank as she watched James Hamilton’s dark head appear as he climbed the ladder to the upper level.
He stopped halfway and turned his head to look at her. “My instincts were correct.”
“I got a leg cramp.” She spoke defensively, as if that excused her eavesdropping.
“If you wish to listen secretly to what is said in private, you should wear a less distinctive fragrance. Your jasmine stole to me some time ago.” He finished climbing to the upper level and walked toward her.
Her pulse raced. “It wasn’t intentional. I came to look up betony.” Sitting on the floor she appeared defenseless and completely without guile.
He held out his hand to help her to her feet. She stared at his outstretched palm, wanting to place her hand in his yet hesitant to succumb to his magnetism. He had such a commanding, masculine presence that if she touched him, she feared he might gain some mystical power over her. Instead of her hand, she gave him the book.
“Culpeper’s Complete Herbal. This is a rare treasure,” he said with reverence. “Does he list the properties of betony?”
She rose to her feet gracefully, without his assistance. “Yes. Let me show you.” Without touching his hands, she turned the pages until she found the colorful illustration. Then she deliberately stepped away from him, putting a safe distance between them. Abercorn was too tall, too broad, too dark, too compelling, and far, far too handsome.
Louisa erected an invisible shield to protect herself from the attractive devil.
“Betony is in bloom at the moment. Would you like to go to the woods and see if we can find some?”
Lu swallowed hard. If she refused, he’d think she found him so dangerously tempting that she was afraid to be alone with him. “That would be most kind,” she replied coolly. “I’ll get a basket and an herb knife from the stillroom.”
As the pair made their way through Woburn’s formal gardens and across the parkland toward the woods, Louisa steered the conversation along impersonal topics. “What is the name of your estate in Ireland?”
“Barons Court in County Tyrone. The tower house was built in medieval times, but my grandfather built the modern additions to the castle.”
She was surprised to learn he owned a castle. “How fascinating. Tell me, is Ireland more like England or Scotland?”
“It is like neither. It is unique. While much of England is ordered and cultivated, and Scotland is wild and rugged, Ireland is an enchanting place. My property is laced with interconnecting lakes and rivers brimming with salmon, trout, and pike. It is lush and green—a veritable nature lover’s paradise, carpeted with wildflowers that attract myriad butterflies and birds.”
“It sounds like a fairy-tale land. No wonder it has spawned so much folklore.”
“Ah, you have heard of our pixies, elves, goblins, and leprechauns. Do you believe in supernatural beings, my lady?”
“Perhaps. Shakespeare writes about them in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
“And in his poems: Where the bees suck, there suck I; In a cowslip’s bell I lie.”
Louisa’s mouth curved in delight. “There I couch when owls do cry. On the bat’s back I do fly.” Her smile faded. He lured me to quote the lines of the poem. I fell into his trap so easily. I must not follow where Abercorn leads. She moved away and looked around for betony plants.
“I think we’ll find them deeper in the woods,” he suggested. “It delighteth in shady places,” he quoted, leading the way to where the trees grew together more densely.
Louisa hesitated until he beckoned, then followed slowly.
“Seek and ye shall find.” Abercorn grinned, slipped a knife from his pocket, and squatted down to cut the betony plants.
Louisa hesitated no longer. She put the basket on the ground, took the herb knife, and crouched beside the purple patch. “They are in bloom, just as Culpeper said they would be. We’ll gather the leaves, stalks, and flowers but not the bitter roots.”
In a short time her basket was filled to the brim. “I’ll take the betony to the stillroom and make the decoction before dinner. I’ll use Culpeper’s recipe.”
“Jack is fortunate to have such a caring sister.”
“My brothers are louts, and we seldom get along,” she informed him.
“But that’s on the surface, and you do it for fun and amusement. Underneath, there is a deep bond of affection and loyalty that is immediately apparent to an outsider.”
“I fear you are deluding yourself,” she told him as they emerged from the woods.
Georgy, accompanied by Teddy and George, spotted them and rode toward the pair. “We’ve been sent to find you and bring Abercorn to meet the Hollands and the Greys.” She looked from one to the other with speculative eyes. “What on earth have you been doing in the woods?” she demanded.
Louisa, determined to conceal her errand of mercy on Jack’s behalf, tossed her head. “I’ve been minding my own business, which is more than you seem capable of doing.”
Georgy’s face lit with a sudden idea. “You’ve been kissing! Lu, I underestimated how cunning you could be.”
Teddy hooted. “Well, James, you didn’t let the grass grow under your feet!”
“You dev
il, Georgy!” Louisa was outraged. “We were doing no such thing. Hamilton was helping me gather some betony.”
Teddy laughed. “More like gathering rosebuds while ye may.”
James winked. “I’ll never tell.”
Louisa blushed, but since it was four against one, she decided to have the last word. She raised her chin and looked her sister directly in the eye. “You owe me a guinea.”
“Not likely!” Georgy declared. “I’ll have to see the kiss with my own eyes.”
Hamilton hid his amusement. Though they had not kissed, Louisa was willing to let her sister think otherwise. He surmised correctly that it was in order to collect a wager.
By the time the young people returned to the house, the Duchess of Bedford’s sister Charlotte had arrived with her son Arthur and her daughter Sophia, the only two of her fourteen offspring who were still unwed. Since Arthur Lennox attended Oxford with his cousins and their friends, no introductions were necessary.
James Hamilton introduced himself to the Duchess of Richmond. He took her fingers to his lips. “I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Your Grace.”
“Such charming manners. Abercorn, this is my daughter, Lady Sophia.”
Sophia threw him a teasing smile. “I remember you very well, my lord. I saw you at Carlton House when we were children, but you had eyes only for Louisa.”
He smiled back at her. “Then you must allow me to make amends for such discourtesy, my lady.”
“Aunt Georgina, may we have a birthday ball as part of the celebrations this year?”
“Well, I hadn’t planned one, but there is no reason why we cannot have an impromptu birthday ball tomorrow night, if the other ladies are amenable.”
“I think that’s a splendid idea,” Lady Holland declared. “Your versatile Woburn musicians can play anything from English country dances to Scottish reels.”
Georgy nudged her sister and murmured, “Why didn’t we think of that? Balls are the perfect setting for dalliance.”
Louisa frowned. Plainly Sophia fancies herself in the arms of Abercorn. She wondered why she found the idea so distasteful.
John Russell spoke up. “I had a note from the Duke of Clarence this morning, accepting my invitation to Woburn. He and his wife will be arriving tomorrow. William is a bit long in the tooth for Highland dancing, don’t you think?”
“He can sit on the sidelines and watch. I don’t imagine you’ll be doing any Highland flings yourself, John,” Georgina declared. “Princess Adelaide is twenty years his junior and I warrant she loves to dance as much as any other female.”
“I could organize a hunt for the following day,” Jack suggested. “The royal princes are avid huntsmen, and Woburn offers the best shooting in England.”
“That’s a splendid idea, Jack.” When John saw the look of distaste evidenced by his wife and daughters, he added, “We will exclude the ladies. It will give them a chance to visit and indulge in a little gossip.”
The ladies instantly fell into a discussion of what they would wear to the ball, giving the men a chance to escape to the gun room, where they chose their weapons for the hunt and indulged their taste for fine Scotch whiskey.
Louisa went to the stillroom to make the decoction for her brother Jack. She boiled the betony flowers and leaves with wine and honey, and allowed the syrup to cool. An hour later she poured it into a clear bottle and stoppered it with a cork. She took it up to Jack’s bedchamber, set it on his nightstand, and wrote him a note following Culpepper’s instructions to take a spoonful every morning.
Just before the dinner gong rang, Lord John Russell arrived. He took his stepmother into his arms and greeted her warmly. “I didn’t dare be late,” he whispered into her ear.
“Johnny, it’s so lovely to see you. Your father has been expecting you. We have lots of company and more coming tomorrow, but none more welcome than you, my dear.”
Lady Holland kissed his cheek. Johnny Russell was like a second son to her. He had often stayed with Beth and Henry when his parents had visited Europe.
Louisa, who had spotted his arrival, came running. “Johnny,” she cried breathlessly, “I knew you wouldn’t forget Georgy’s birthday. We’re celebrating our birthdays together and having an impromptu ball tomorrow night.”
“Good, a party is just what I need after those long hours in Parliament.” The dinner gong sounded and Johnny linked arms with Georgina and Beth and escorted the two ladies to the Van Dyke dining room. Before they arrived, a covey of males emerged from the gun room.
“Johnny! I told Abercorn you’d be visiting us shortly. I know I sent you congratulations on getting the Irish Catholic emancipation bill passed, but now I have the pleasure of praising your accomplishment in person.” The duke embraced his son warmly, and then everyone fell into step behind the pair as they entered the dining room.
Informality reigned as Lord John was greeted by his brothers and their guests.
“This is James Hamilton, Marquis of Abercorn, and a true champion of Ireland. Why don’t you sit between us, Johnny, and fill us in on all the details?”
Louisa knew it was a foregone conclusion that before the meal was over, Johnny and Abercorn would become fast friends. All they have in common is a love of Ireland. They don’t know anything else about each other. Every male in the room, save Abercorn, was a staunch Whig. She cleared her throat and spoke to Johnny. “Are you aware that James Hamilton is a Tory?”
The two men looked at each other and then threw back their heads in laughter.
“Lu, surely you know I have built my reputation on bipartisan-ship?” Johnny asked.
The Duchess of Bedford declared, “My mother, Jane Gordon, was the leading Tory hostess, but she had no objections to my marrying into one of the leading Whig families. Fortunately, there is nothing illegal about cohabiting.”
Everyone at table thought the racy rejoinder was hilarious. Everyone except Louisa, of course.
The duke spoke up. “The Duke of Wellington has often visited Woburn since he became prime minister. At the moment, I fully support his Tory government.”
“Now that the emancipation bill has been signed, I’m once again campaigning in the Commons for parliamentary reform,” Johnny announced. “So far, however, my efforts to introduce a bill to reduce election bribery have been unsuccessful.”
“It’s unconscionable that small boroughs owned by wealthy land-owners have the right to elect more Members of Parliament than large industrial towns like Birmingham and Manchester,” Abercorn commiserated.
“At the risk of being thought radicals, we have all supported a change to the voting system for years,” Lord Holland declared.
“Without reform, we run the risk of a revolution in Britain, like the one in Europe,” Earl Grey warned.
Bessy gasped. “Oh please, let us not speak of revolution. It’s the reason we had to leave Europe.”
Johnny smiled at his brother’s wife. “You’ll be quite safe in Mayfair, Bessy. Your townhouse is in the same general area as Russell Square. You’ll be neighbors of our brother Francis and his wife.”
“Yes, I correspond with Anna Maria.” Bessy looked puzzled. “Don’t you also reside at the Russell Square house, since you and Francis both sit in the House of Commons every day?”
“My committee work necessitates longer hours than Francis. I lease rooms close to Whitehall, but I visit Russell Square whenever I can.”
“Then I shall expect to see you in Cavendish Square,” she said archly.
Louisa sent Johnny a surreptitious look of horror that clearly told him to make no promises. He understood the look and hid his amusement.
Abercorn saw the look that passed between them. Lord John and Lady Lu communicate without words. I envy him.
“Louisa, are you going to entertain us with one of your spectacular Spanish dances tonight?” Johnny asked his favorite sister.
Her mother jumped in immediately. It was a perfect opportunity for her daughter to display h
er talent and become the center of attention. “I’m sure we can prevail upon her.”
Louisa’s eyes lit up. “I’ll dance, if Johnny will do a soliloquy from Shakespeare.”
His brothers hissed good- naturedly. Lord John could quote numerous passages from Shakespeare with great dramatic flourish. “Since you are so enthusiastic, I’ll skip the soliloquy and do Henry V’s rousing address to his troops.”
“Yay!” Henry shouted, and Cosmo and young Alex banged their knives on the table.
James Hamilton grinned. “You are obviously a disruptive influence.” And you are loved by the entire family. Someday, if I’m lucky enough, I’ll be part of it.
After dinner, the Russell family and all their guests trooped down to the theater. Louisa consulted with Georgy and asked her to play her Spanish piece. Johnny offered to go onstage first, to give Louisa time to change into her costume.
The curtains parted to show Johnny standing in the spotlight. A hush fell over the assembly as they anticipated the dramatic speech.
Lord John Russell threw back his head and his clear voice poured forth as if he were making a speech in the Commons.
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our English dead!
In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility,
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger:
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage,
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect,
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon, let the brow o’erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O’erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English,